Pages

Friday, June 27, 2014

Perfiditas by Alison Morton

PUBLISHER’S BLURB

Captain Carina Mitela of the Praetorian Guard Special Forces is in trouble – one colleague has tried to kill her and another has set a trap to incriminate her in a conspiracy to topple the government of Roma Nova. Founded sixteen hundred years ago by Roman dissidents and ruled by women, Roma Nova barely survived a devastating coup d’état thirty years ago. Carina swears to prevent a repeat and not merely for love of country.

Seeking help from a not quite legal old friend could wreck her marriage to the enigmatic Conrad. Once proscribed and operating illegally, she risks being terminated by both security services and conspirators. As she struggles to overcome the desperate odds and save her beloved Roma Nova and her own life, she faces the ultimate betrayal…

REVIEW BY ANITA

Perfiditas is the sequel to Inceptio, which continues the story of Captain Carina Mitela of the Praetorian Guard Special Forces in Roma Nova, a fictional but very believable independent country which emerged at the fall of the Roman Empire.

Carina Mitela was raised in the US but has been transplanted in her ancestral country, who, while rooting out a conspiracy to remove the female superiority of the country and replace it with a Patriarchal society, she finds her motives questioned by everyone, even her husband. Her situation goes from bad to worse as conspiracies are revealed and Carina's method's condemned.

Circumstances have made Carina a tough soldier, and determined to maintain the status quo. The alternate history theme never falters, though at times I found the uncompromising attitudes, and mistrust of some of the characters, who assume the worst at all times, difficult to understand.

Carina has to use all her skills, both mental and physical to get herself out of this one and redeem her family name. This has made her somewhat intransigent and at times I was frustrated by the verbal dance of the two main characters, but they get their act sorted out in the end.

I enjoyed this novel as much as I did the first book, where the narrative is consistent and the pace fast, steady and engaging. In Roman Nova, the female line dominates - which makes sense - at least you know whose child is whose?

The author has no trouble putting her ‘darlings’ through the wringer, and is a master at taking the reader by surprise. Poor Carina is tested to the limit in this story – I dread to think what Ms Morton has in store for her in Book 3 Successio – oh hang on, I have that one too, so I’ll be back!

Anita Davison is an historical fiction author whose latest release, ‘Royalist Rebel’ a biographical novel set in 17th Century England, is released by Claymore Press under the name Anita Seymour

Welcome

History and Women is a compendium of Women's History, Biographies, and all things Feminine! Let me entertain you. Make yourself comfortable and plan to stay a while!

The Prophetic Queen: The Tumultuous Life of Matilde of Ringelheim

A Biographical Novel about the First Queen of Germany. (Click on the Cover to Purchase)

The Novice

An Italian Medieval Love Story. A young woman on the verge of taking her vows to become a nun. A desperate flight from a murderous massacre. One honorable man comes to her rescue. Another becomes her nemesis and captor. And a life and death search to reunite with her one true love. (Click on the cover to purchase)

Orphan of the Olive Tree

AWARDED THE B.R.A.G.G. MEDALLION for Indie Fiction! A compelling historical romance and family saga! A blood oath, a dreadful curse, and the evil eye. A dark family secret that will shatter lives and the woman who must risk everything to keep it buried. (Click on the cover to purchase)

The Contessa's Vendetta

To be buried alive is everyone's worst nightmare. When this happens to a wealthy Italian Contessa, faced with the ultimate betrayal, a murderous vendetta is her only solution! (Click on the cover to purchase!)

The Betrothal

A Betrothal gone horribly awry! An early 18th century take of corruption, wicked intentions, murder, obsessive love, undisclosed secrets, unstoppable destinies, and a woman whose secret will either destroy or restore lives!

The Pendant

A medieval tale about a lost ancient treasure. A 100 year family feud. And a woman with a passion richer than the bloodstone pendant she wears around her neck! (Click on the cover to purchase)